There's No Way
by SparkSparta
Summary: When a trip to the carnival reveals Carrie's real emotions about Corey, how can she handle being around him when she herself can't accept them? Corey/Carrie one-shot. Early epilogue to No Strings Attached.


**Hi guys~! ;3 Yeah, I ship these little shits together; sue me for that too. XD Enjoy!**

**To see artwork of this fanfiction, see my dA page!**

**Cover image can be found on tumblr.  
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Carrie Beff stared at the two tickets in her hand as the bus hit another bump in the road. Carrie ignored the giggling children as she stared at the window, not looking forward to this at all. She recently won a pair of tickets for two at a local carnival, and she had nobody to go with.

Well...almost nobody.

_**-FLASHBACK TRANSITION~!-**_

"What do you mean you can't go?!"

_"...That I can't go to the carnival with you?"_

Carrie hopped onto her bed, messing up the neatly folded bed sheets, blankets, and pillows upon impact. She was currently on the phone with her best guy friend, Larry Nepp, trying to encourage him to go to the carnival with her that she had been dying to go to. Kim and Konnie weren't available due to a family night out at a local Japanese garden, so they were out for the count. And now she just got news that Larry was making plans to spend time with his girlfriend at the park.

The female guitarist could hear some shuffling in the background. She figured he was probably writing something. She hoped it were lyrics. "C'mon, Lare! Ever since you and Lamey have been dating, you haven't hung out with us in weeks besides at practice! She is the enemy, you know!"

_"Carrie, don't you think I realize that? We know that our bands are rivals but that doesn't stop us from seeing each other." _

"Obviously." Carrie rolled her eyes. Larry snorted on the other end. _"I know that you and the twins miss hanging out with me, but you gotta understand it from my end too, Care. When you fall in love with someone, all you want to do is be by their side!"_

"But Larry, all you've been doing in your free time is hang out with her! What happened to being best friends?"

_"Carrie, c'mon, don't pull that stunt on me. Don't you think Laney hears the same thing from Corey?"_

Carrie opened her mouth to speak, but then fell silent. Larry had a point. Both bassists knew that becoming a couple would not only be a risk. But the fact that they knew that their best friends would criticize them for it, yet still decided to go out was a pretty brave decision in Carrie's book. Then again, she wasn't dating anyone, so she couldn't really put hersef in Larry's shoes.

_"...That pause you made tells me that you're trying to see it from my eyes, Carrie."_

"Don't push it, Nepp." A grin crawled up her face. Larry was such a dork when they weren't in public. But she had to admit, he was acting much more open and friendlier every since he and Laney started seeing each other. Carrie sighed, pulling the phone back to her ear. "So, you sure you can't make it?"

_"Positive, Care...I'm sorry."_ He sighed on the other end. Carrie snorted, beginning to grin. "Boo, you whore! Fine!" Larry laughed on the other end. _"But, how about next Saturday, you, Kim, Konnie, and I all go to pizza? My treat?" _

Carrie grinned, sitting upright. "It better be your treat! You've been ditching the girls and I for three weeks! You owe us!"

_"Oh, blah, like you'd hold a grudge against me."_ Larry said, laughing._ "Anyway, have you found anyone besides me to go to the fair?" _

"Carnival, and no." Carrie rubbed her forehead. Her parents were out, and Mina was helping Trina, so they were out for the count. "Everyone I know is busy. It's like, after our big break with the festival, everyone disappears right before the actual fun starts!"

_"Well...not everybody."_

"...What do you mean?"

_"Why not ask Corey to go? Laney said he's been chilling alone for the past few days."_

"Riffin?! Why on earth would I ask HIM to go?!"

_"Well, you were complaining five minutes ago about not having anyone to go with. And you two do seem to be getting along a bit better after our concert on the festival's opening day."_

"But why would you suggest him? You know we hate each other!"

_"Carrie, chill out, I was just suggesting something. You don't have to do it."_

"You got that right! Besides, he'd probably ruin everything."

_"...I don't think that'd be issue."_

"...What are you talking about?"

_"Well, hypothetically speaking, what if you two went and then he said that you ruined everything?"_

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

_"That you'd be whining the whole time about going to the carnival with your "worst enemy"."_

"Larry, you know how much our personalities clash! We'd be fighting the whole time!"

_"But still, Care. If you have someone to go with, why won't you enjoy it? It's not like it's a date or anything like that."_

"So you're basically saying I can't handle going with someone I utterly despise?"

_"Hey, I was thinking the same thing when Laney and I danced at that 'Midnight in Paris' thing two months back in school."_

Carrie's mind flashed back to that. She remembered seeing Larry walk over to another red headed girl at the dance, and then sit in front of her. She didn't realize it was Laney until the band actually went up on stage. She didn't even know that they danced until the end where Laney thanked him for something. Ever since then, Carrie also noticed he wouldn't shut up about the dance either. It was if it were permanently imprinted in his brain.

Carrie sighed. "Larry, I really don't know about this..."

_"Just give it a shot, Care! Who knows? You guys may become friends outside of the garages. I mean, look at-"_

"I know, I know, you and Laney. I know." Carrie rubbed her head, scrunching up her beanie. "I don't know, Lare...I'm not sure that this is a good idea...What if we start fighting?"

_"Well, then at least you'd be spending some kind of time at the carnival. You really wanted to go this thing, and it's the only time where you can actually go to it. It's better to try and fail then not try at all, you know."_

Carrie sighed again. She had a really bad feeling in her stomach. She grabbed the two tickets from her nightstand and held them up in the light. She had no other choice. She hated doing things alone, but she hated the Grojband singer with a passion. However, her desire to have fun overpowered her hatred. Larry had a point too; better to try and fail then not try at all.

"Okay, Lare...you win. I'll text you to give you a heads up, I guess..."

_"Take your time. I don't think any of us are in a rush tonight."_

"Well, maybe you won't be..."

And with that, Carrie hung up.

_**-BACK TO PRESENT TRANSITION~!-**_

Corey looked at Carrie, studying her gaze as she stared out the window. Normally, he wouldn't agree to do anything with his Newman enemy, but he has been cooped up in his room for the past few weeks and he was starting to become jittery. All he was able to do was play his guitar and bother Trina, and both those things got kind of boring without anyone else to do it with.

So when Carrie called him up, out of nowhere, asking him to go to the carnival, he jumped at the chance. He wasn't sure if it was the relief to finally be out of the house or the relief of finally hanging out with someone after band practice. The shock in Carrie's voice should have been recorded when he said yes to her.

The bus hit another bump, causing the passengers to leap from their seats for a few seconds. Corey laughed like a kid as he was lifted from his seat, clutching his ribs as pain from the impact settled in. Carrie snorted. _'I can't believe I'm actually going to the carnival with someone I utterly despise...'_

"So, how long is the carnival going to be here?"

Carrie turned to Corey, surprised to see a perplexed expression on his face. She couldn't help but wonder if he was just that oblivious or if he was trying to strike a conversation with her. Either way, it annoyed her. The Newmans guitarist handed him the tickets. "This is the last weekend it's here."

"Oh." Corey looked at the tickets, studying the printing on the thin strips of paper. **LUNAR SCAR CARNIVAL. ALL THIS MONTH, EVERY WEEKEND. COME FOR THE PRICES, STAY FOR THE FUN. **Corey shrugged, pocketing the tickets. Carrie continued to stare out the window with a bored expression on her face. The Grojband bassist continued to stare at her. _'What's this girl's problem?'_

"Is there any reason on why you keep staring at me?" Carrie snapped, turning towards Corey again. Corey blinked, then smiled with a shrug. "Well, usually I'm not one to question things, but why do you look so mad? Didn't you want to go to this?"

Carrie blinked, staring at Corey. "How do you know that?" Corey gave a tiny laugh as the bus bounced over another bump. "Larry's been showing up at our garage lately, but I could tell he was sad over something. I figured it was because of not being able to hang out with you guys as often." He gave a small snort at the reminder of the Newmans bassist. Carrie glared at him for that. "Well, it's not like your bassist hasn't been doing the same thing."

"Yeah, I know." Corey rolled his eyes at her. Carrie turned back to the window, resting her head in her hand. "And yeah, I did want to go with this, but not with my worst enemy."

Corey was about to speak again when the bus came to a screeching halt. The passengers lunged forward slightly, but the smoothness of the brakes slowed down the pace and they all remained in their seats. The engined hissed as the driver turned back towards his guests.

"Lunar Scar Carnival!"

"Guess that's us," Corey said with a smile and a playful nudge. Carrie gave him a disgruntled look before standing up behind him to exit the bus. The sounds of screams, cheers, and music filled her ears as she and Corey faced the carnival. Numerous rides were playing all at once, and they were all filled to the brim with people of all ages looking for thrills. Children screamed in joyful terror as they either walked through the haunted fun house or the rides dropping, swinging, or turning at incredible paces.

The scent of freshly fried food, pizza, and cotton candy hit Carrie's nose, making her stomach growl. She hadn't eaten since lunch, and it was close to five PM. She was nearly starving, but the Newmans' singer knew that eating before riding is a death wish. Corey looked at Carrie with a childish grin on face.

"Ready for some fun?"

The two singers/guitarists walked around through the crowds, their eyes eating in the display of lights and designs of the booths. Lines formed on multiple rides such as The Pirate Ship, Balloon Race, Cliffhanger, Ring of Fire, Rotor, Double-Shot, and of course, the Ferris Wheel. Carrie's heart pounded against her chest with excitement. _'Oh my God, this looks amazing! I can't wait-!'_

Corey interrupted her with a gentle nudge. Carrie turned to him as he pointed to the ticket booths. "I'll get us some wristbands." Carrie blinked, then nodded. She forgot about the wristbands. Without them, they wouldn't be able to get on any of rides. When Corey walked away from her, Carrie began counting the rides to give herself an idea of which to go on first and which to save for last.

It took less than five minutes for Carrie to make a completed mental list of the rides when Corey came back with a wristband on his hand. As he handed Carrie hers, he took began to look around. "Man, this looks awesome! Which one should we do first?"

'We?' Carrie gave Corey another dissatisfied look. "What do you mean 'we'?"

"Well, you did invite me to this," Corey said with a shrug. His smile never dispatched from his face. "It's only fair that I'd go on the rides you'd want to do." Carrie stared at him with an incredulous look on her face. 'Is he serious?' Carrie looked down before facing her questioning mortal enemy again. "...But I'd thought that you would like it better if we just did things by ourselves?"

Corey looked confused for a second, then shrugged. "I just think that carnivals are a lot more fun if you're spending time with someone, though." They stood there in a tense silence before Carrie broke it with a nod. "If you want to go alone, you can, Riffin." Corey smiled and shook his head. "Nah, I think it'd be cool spending time with you."

Carrie flinched. "W-what?!" A furious blush lit up her cheeks as her heart skipped a beat. Corey then flinched as well, shaking his head and hands simultaneously. "N-not in that way! I-I just meant that-"

"Don't worry, I get it!" Carrie cried, lifting her hands up to shut him up. Her face was beet red as it twisted into an irritated glare. The last thing she wanted was to think that her band rival actually liked her in that way. That would spoil her whole night.

Right?

Carrie snorted and began to walk towards the Balloon Race without him. "C'mon, we don't have all night." Corey snickered and followed her. "Yes, master."

_**-AMUSEMENT PARK TRANSITION~!"**_

"Haha, that was awesome!"

Corey and Carrie plopped down on the bench, still dizzy from the Pirate Ship ride. Their stomachs continuously churned with a mix of excitement and fear as they tried to recover from the adrenaline. Being swung at fifty miles per hour to one hundred eighty degrees in the air does crazy things to the body. Corey rubbed his head, trying to look at Carrie straightly. "How are you holding up, Carrie?"

"I feel like I swallowed a whirlpool," Carrie said, clutching her stomach even tighter. Despite the dizziness, she had a smile plastered on her face. It was the eighth ride they went on that night, and dusk was starting to creep over the sky. The lights on the rides and booths began to glow, helping the thrill seekers find their next attraction.

Corey took in some air, finally able to see straight. "How about we take a breather?"

"You think so?" Carrie looked at him as she covered from a small coughing fit. Her stomach suddenly growled, grabbing their attention. Corey laughed as a blush flowed over Carrie's cheeks. "I'm guessing your stomach agrees with me!" He stood up, extending his hand. "C'mon, how about I get a soda for ya?"

"Sounds good," she stood up, smiling up at him. She felt a sudden warmth spread through her hand, and she just realized that she grabbed Corey's hand without thinking. Instantly, Carrie tore her hand away from him, looking at the ground. "Oh, s-sorry!" She cursed herself for stuttering. Why was she acting like this?

"Hey, no sweat." Corey's carefree grin shocked her on multiple levels._ 'Hows does he manage to act like this so easily?'_ To her, Corey's attitude showed that he couldn't care any less about anything but music. In part, that might have been the truth, but Carrie began to realize that just because he acted this way didn't mean he didn't care. She could feel his love for his friends vibrate off his very being. She just didn't understand how he can manage being so carefree almost every day of his life.

"Hey, you okay?"

Carrie snapped out of her thoughts. She didn't even realize they were standing on a line. Corey looked at her with a concerned expression as he held a soda in his hand. Carrie nodded, taking the soda from him. "Yeah, I'm fine, Riffin."

Corey stared at her for a second, studying her expression. Something was different about her. _'I wonder what's her problem...' _

"You're staring at me again."

Corey snapped out of his trance, realizing that he was lost in his thoughts again. He rubbed the back of his head shyly, grinning like an idiot. "Oh, sorry." Carrie watched him chuckle, but shrugged it off. "Whatever." Corey raised a brow. _'Why is she so snippy all of a sudden? She was screaming her lungs off on the rides.'_

Carrie plopped down on a table, watching the crowds go by. They were right beside a booth with this camera equipment; she figured it was to promote their technology for a new movie. She felt Corey sit beside her, watching the crowds go by.

The air between them was tense and awkward. Carrie tried to ignore it by sipping her soda, trying to act calm. But inside, her stomach twisted and churned violently. It actually felt worse than before and after they got on the Pirate Ship ride! _'Man, why is my stomach so bad tonight?'_ Carrie clutched her gut, cringing in pain.

Corey noticed this and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"My stomach..." Carrie groaned. "It's really bad tonight, and I didn't even eat anything..." She rubbed her midriff with her hands, but still maintained a firm grip on her organs. She thought she would puke if she let go. Corey raised a brow, scooting closer. "Are you nervous?"

"Not really." Carrie looked around, taking in the scenery. "I'm not really scared of a particular ride." She turned towards the Ferris wheel. "Or heights."

Corey shrugged. It couldn't be anything serious. "Maybe it's just leftover adrenaline from the pirate ride." Carrie nodded, reaching for her soda again. "Yeah, you're probably right." She took in another sip, feeling the cool drink rush down to her stomach. Almost instantly, her stomach felt better. Corey smiled as relief washed over Carrie's face. "Carrie?"

"Hm?" She opened an eye towards him.

"Are you having fun?"

Carrie stopped. She turned her head completely to Corey, staring at his expression. While his face had that traditional smile of his, his eyes seemed to have a mix of joy and...concern? Carrie racked her brain for a logical reason behind that. _'Why does he care if I'm having fun or not?'_ The Newmans guitarist stared at him for a few more seconds before answering. "...Why the sudden interest, Riffin?"

"Well...You seem to be having fun on the rides, but not when you're just trying to chill out between them." Corey shrugged, looking away. "I'm starting to feel like you just invited me because you had no other choice to."

"Corey, that's not-!"

She paused and Corey looked at her. They both shared identical expressions.

"Did you just call me Corey?"

"...Yeah...I did." Carrie had to blink away the shock for a few seconds. Why the hell did she just say 'Corey'? She always addressed him as anything other than his actual name, so why did she suddenly slip up this time?_ 'What the hell's happening to me?'_

The sound of static suddenly filled the air, and the attention of the crowds were diverted towards a giant flat screen TV. Mayor Mellow appeared on the TV, shocking nearly everyone within the premises. Corey and Carrie exchanged glances. Mayor Mellow pulled up a picture of his mother. "Is it on?...It is?" He turned around. "Oh. Good evenin', citizens of Peaceville!"

"Oh God..." Carrie rubbed her head. That man's voice gave her a headache nearly every single day of last month; the last thing she needed now was a migraine. Mayor Mellow didn't care because he couldn't see them anyway. "I hope you're all enjoin' this carnival! Sadly it's the last weekend it's going to be in town, so let's show the place some love by usin' our new..."

The camera zoomed out, revealing a pink screen with a clear heart shape in the middle The words **LOVE CAM** were imprinted above and below the heart. "LOVE CAMERA~!"

"Oh, God!" This time, both guitarists facepalmed. "When will it end?"

"Now, I know y'all may be confused on why we're doin' this, but it's because Mama and I just wanna spread the love!" Mayor Mellow raised his brows flirtatiously. "All you couples out there better be ready because you might be shown on our TV!"

Carrie groaned, tossed her soda in the trash. "Okay, I'm done."

"Appetite officially lost," Corey said with an agreeing eye roll. However, he was curious to see who would be shown on the TV, so he stayed put while Carrie turned away. She hated all the lovey-dovey stuff if it weren't related to Valentine's day. Mayor Mellow shined the spotlight on some people, getting the 'Love Cam' on the way.

Not many people turned out to be couples, but families were more than happy to show love publicly. Carrie was somewhat envious of two sisters who showed up on the camera a few moments ago. She missed hanging out with her sister more than she realized. 'Maybe we should just spend a day together doing things regular sisters would do.'

"Oh, would ya look at that, folks!"

Carrie looked at Corey, who had shock written all over his face. Carrie waved a hand in front of him, trying to snap him out of it. "Hey, earth to Corey Riffin! What are you-"

"Carrie Beff and Corey Riffin together?!" Mayor Mellow laughed at the top of his lungs. "Who knew?"

Carrie then froze too, looking up at the TV screen. Both she and Corey were featured on the Love Cam. In front of the entire crowd. Live. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. What else could go wrong tonight?

"Well, kids, what are ya waiting for? Do it! Show us some love!"

The crowd began to cheer, putting the two guitarists in an even more uncomfortable position. Carrie shook her head furiously, trying to hide the scarlet blush spreading across her face. "No, no, no! I would never show someone like Riffin love! Not even sibling-like!"

"Aww, don't be so hard headed, Carrie~!" Mayor Mellow teased, egging the crowd on even further. It seemed to work too. The crowd was cheering and chanting: "Do it! Do it!"

"Do what?!" Carrie screeched, trying to scare them away. She was getting pretty frustrated and it was easy to see that she was losing her patience. Corey put a hand on her shoulder, making her look towards him. The Grojband bassist shrugged. "We don't have to kiss, let's just give them a little something."

"Like what? We don't even like each other that way!"

"It doesn't have to be 'that way'." Corey said with a grin. Carrie's eyes shrank. "What are you-" Before she knew it, Corey leaned towards her face and pressed his lips against Carrie's cheek. Carrie's face burned with the fire of a thousand suns as she cringed, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "Ew, gross!"

That seemed to please the crowd and Mayor Mellow. People cheered and awwed at them, and Mayor Mellow switched the scene from the guitarist duo back to himself just as Corey pulled away. "Ah, love. Spread it around, everyone! Peaceville won't be peaceful and loving without your help!"

And with that, the screen went black.

Carrie rubbed her cheek with her hand, still cringing. "What the heck was that for, Riffin?!" Corey laughed at her face; it was almost beet red! "Man, you gotta see your face! You look like a strawberry!"

"I don't care!"

Corey flinched, surprised at the shrill tone in Carrie's voice. It was obvious she was really mad about it, but he couldn't understand why. Carrie was actually fuming mad. If it were possible, steam would be pouring out of her ears. "Even if Mayor Mellow kept egging everyone on, why would you kiss me?!"

"Carrie, chill, it's not like I kissed you on the lips." Corey gave her a soft smile. Carrie didn't realize it at first, but her heart was pounding a mile a minute, and the expression on Corey's face seemed to calm her down. What was about this boy that made her feel so jittery, yet warm? Carrie mentally slapped herself. _'Stop thinking like that! There's no way I'd fall for someone like him!'  
_

Carrie wanted to slap that smile off the boy's face. She was mortified beyond any logical reason. "It doesn't matter! I don't want people to think we're a couple, so that's why I didn't do anything." She looked away, crossing her arms. Her face burned like a furnace.

"...Sorry..."

Carrie blinked, turning towards Corey. Stakes of guilt stabbed at her heart as she took in Corey's expression. It was mixed with remorse, guilt, and sorrow, and it was awful to see such an expression. Under normal circumstances, Carrie would jump in delight to see her enemies fail, but all she felt was regret for snapping at him. She may not like Grojband as a whole, but that didn't mean she didn't care about their feelings outside of the rock and roll battlefield.

Carrie placed a hand on Corey's shoulder, making him look up at her. "No, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have yelled like that." She sighed, looking away again. She envied the families and friends enjoying their time at the park. "I guess I'm a little upset that nobody else but you was available for carnival. And don't mean that in a bad way."

Corey nodded, allowing her to continue.

"I mean, Kim and Konnie weren't available because of a family reunion, Mina's with Trina, and my parents are out. Even Larry couldn't go, and he's my best friend...But all he's been doing after our practices is hanging out with your best friend." Carrie gave a small, sarcastic chuckle. "Maybe I'm jealous...I dunno."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"I don't know...Maybe being able to see someone and spend time with them?" Carrie shrugged. "You're not half bad, Riffin, but do you really think that you'd be thrilled to spend the last night at a carnival with someone you considered, and still kind of consider, an enemy?"

Corey looked down for a moment, and then back up at Carrie. "I guess you have point there, Carrie." His smile gave her reassurance that he understood. "Laney's been by my side ever since we met, and I have to admit, she did kind of get a little clingy from time to time as we grew up." He shrugged. "I guess she may have developed a crush on me, but it's pretty obvious I never really felt that way about her before."

Carrie nodded in agreement. "Larry's been like that too. I never really considered him to be the boyfriend type, and I never really liked him that way either." A small smile replaced her frown. "I guess him and Laney becoming a couple was a good thing. They look like they're made for each other; physically and mentally."

"I couldn't agree more." Corey smiled at Carrie. "I may have been against it at first, and even though I still kind of am, I'm just really glad that Lanes is happy. That's all the really matters to me." Carrie smiled back at Corey and nodded. "Me too. Larry deserves someone who'll treat him right."

The two guitarists sat there, smiling and staring at each other. They had a strange feeling of déjà vu, and if Larry and Laney were there, they would chuckle at it. After a moment, Corey stood up and stretched his stiff limbs. "All right, enough of the sappy stuff! Let's have some fun!"

"Wait, you really want to stay here with me?" The Newman guitarist seemed shocked. "Even after I snapped at you like that?"

"Hey, we agreed that we were kind of jealous of Laney and Larry." Corey smiled and extended his hand towards her. "Plus, I said I forgave you, right?"

Carrie stared at Corey's hand, taking in the words he spoke. She looked back up at him, taking in his smile. Her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt really warm and happy inside. Even after all her complaining, he still wanted to be with her to have some fun. Smiling from ear-to-ear, Carrie grabbed his hand and stood up.

"Yeah...you did."

"C'mon!" Corey tugged on her arm, pointing to the game booths. "Let's have some fun for once!"

**-MILK BOTTLE THROW TRANSITION~!-**

"I missed again!"

Carrie slumped over the booth, staring at the pyramid of milk bottles in front of her. The vendor grinned at her expression, shrugging. "Wanna try again?"

Carrie turned to Corey as he selected his prize. Carrie couldn't tell if his win was either luck or pure skill. While Corey triumphed at his win, she still sagged behind as she tried to win herself a prize. She turned back to the vendor and shook her head. She almost had no money left, and she wanted to save the rest.

She turned her back to the booth and began to walk towards a bench to wait for Corey.

"Hey, Carrie!"

Carrie turned around, then was faced with a teddy bear with a red bow on the top of its head. The Newmans singer blinked, looking at Corey with an incredulous look on her face. "What's this for?" She was hesitant on taking it.

"Think of it as a thank you present. For inviting me to this place," Corey said with a shrug. His smile never faded. "Plus, you looked liked you really wanted a prize so..." He looked away as he rubbed the back of his head. Carrie could feel her cheeks burn as she took the bear and squeezed it in her arms. She could swear she saw Corey turn red as well._ 'Why is acting so nice?...Laney said he never acted like this before...'_

"Hey, you hungry?"

Carrie blinked, looking up at Corey. Her stomach suddenly growled, confirming his suspicions. Carrie smirked and shoved the bear back in his arms. A grin spread across her face. "Oh, no! I'll treat you this time! You've done enough!"

"If you say so!" A laugh escaped Corey's throat as Carrie walked towards a food booth. When she came back, there was funnel cake smothered in powdered sugar, strawberries, and chocolate fudge drizzles. Corey's eyes went wide as a bit of drool escaped his lips. "Whoa!"

"Ew, dude!" Carrie laughed as she shoved some napkins in his face. "Wipe your face before you eat, 'cause I want some too!"

"Hey, Carrie, check this out!"

Corey ripped off two thin pieces of the funnel cake, then dug them into his two canines. "I vant to suck yer blood, bleh ble-bleh!" Carrie snorted, then burst out laughing. "Oh my God, dude! Hahaha!"

"I do not say "bleh ble-bleh"!" Corey clutched his stomach, howling with laughter. "I think the real Dracula would be pretty offended if I did that in front of him!"

Carrie snickered. "Where did that 'bleh ble-bleh" come from anyway?"

"I dunno." Corey shrugged as he took the pieces of food out of his teeth. "Probably from one of the older movies."

As they munched on the funnel cake, the two singers kept themselves busy by talking about school (and how much they hated their teachers), elevator music hatred, and dreams of the future. Carrie never would have guessed that she would actually be enjoying this. Of all the things that could have happened, everything went in the right direction despite the earlier conflict.

Carrie looked up at the sky after a while. It was almost a dark blue as the moon began to rise over the rides. "It's getting dark. We should head home soon."

"Yeah, I think my dad's gonna get worried," Corey said in agreement. "Let's find a bus schedule and-

"You guys aren't leaving without seeing the fireworks, right?"

Carrie and Corey faced the front, spotting a group of friends. Carrie raised a brow. "Fireworks?" One of the boys nodded with a grin plastered on his face. "Yeah! They always show off a fireworks display every Saturday night!"

"Tonight's gonna be the biggest one because it's the last night the whole thing's in town!"

The two guitarists exchanged glances. Carrie never noticed that her tickets never mentioned a fireworks display. But then again, she never really looked thoroughly either. Corey shrugged, smiling in Carrie's direction. "Wanna stay for the show?"

"Why not?" She grinned at him. "It _is_ the last one until next year."

"True." Corey then turned to the Ferris wheel and pointed to it. "But, you wanna ride the Ferris wheel before we watch? It's the only ride that we haven't been on?"

Carrie nodded, thinking that the Ferris wheel was always best saved for last. As the two guitarists walked over and waited online, Carrie could hear the commotion of the staff as they prepared for the show.

"Man, this is gonna epic!" Corey seemed pumped. "I haven't seen a fireworks show since last year's fourth of July!" Carrie nodded in agreement. She was becoming lost in her thoughts, but Corey didn't seem to be paying attention. He was too hyped for the fireworks. As Corey talked, Carrie stared at him, almost in a daze. _'I never realized how alike we are...And not just physically either...'_ Carrie's heart skipped a beat. She looked down as her face became red with embarrassment.

_"You guys may become friends outside of the garages."_

"Carrie!"

Carrie blinked, noticing that Corey was pointing to the Ferris wheel. As they walked into the kart and sat down, Carrie realized that Larry said that sentence only for her own good. Hating somebody sorely on rivalry was never a good thing, and it often closes both the mind and heart to seeing how much people can relate to. _'Is this why he wanted to stay with Laney...? Because he wanted to learn how alike they really are?' _

Before Larry explained his secret relationship to her and the twins, Carrie had a feeling that Larry was hiding something from her and she nearly fell on her knees to get him to cope. But throughout every attempt, Larry either covered it up with a white lie, or gave her the cold shoulder. Something that she never thought he was capable of doing. But once Larry did admit to his relationship, Carrie not only felt hatred and anger in heart, but she even felt jealous. At first, she thought it was because she fell for her best friend. But now that she spent time with Corey, her feelings slowly began to show their true intentions.

Carrie wasn't falling for Larry. She was falling for Corey!

Her heart pounded against her chest. Carrie glanced at Corey's face. He was busy staring at the Ferris wheel as it began to illuminate multiple colors and patterns. Her cheeks blushed as butterflies soared through her stomach. Carrie cursed herself for feeling this way; this wasn't supposed to happen! Not to her! _'Why? Why did I fall for someone like him?!'_

_"Look and me and Laney, Care. Do you really think we expected this to happen?"_

Carrie sighed. _'Oh, Larry...I feel like such a hypocrite...I'm sorry...' _A sudden gust of wind made her shiver. She didn't even realize the ride started already, and they were on their way to the highest point. Not only that, but she didn't expect it to be so windy tonight and it was starting to get to her.

Corey noticed this and scooted closer to Carrie. "You cold?" Carrie rubbed her arms, smiling faintly at him. She never saw such genuine care from a boy before. Let alone Corey. "Y-yeah, a little...I didn't expect it to be so chilly tonight."

"Then let's try this." Out of nowhere, Corey wrapped his arms around Carrie, pulling her into a hug. Carrie's face burned furiously as she felt his warmth spread through her body. Her heart pounded against her chest as she shivered, and it wasn't from the cold. Corey pretended not to notice her beating heart and smiled simply at her.

"Better?"

She shoved him away, not thinking. "C-Corey!"

"Whoa! S-sorry!" Corey backed off, releasing the Newmans' singer. "Too close?"

"N-no...It's just that..." Carrie trailed off, trying to find the right words. Why was it so hard to talk all of a sudden? But then, a high pitched whistling filled their ears, and both leaders turned to the sky to see the fireworks lift off. A huge grin spread across Corey's face.

"Oh, so awesome!"

"Yeah!" Carrie looked at Corey, admiring the carefree expression on his face. She never understood how he was able to be so laidback...But then again, she never really wanted to know. That was his little secret that she would find out some day.

"Hey, Carrie?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Corey smiled as Carrie's face became red. "In the beginning, I was the one staring at you. But it seems like the tables have turned now."

"W-well..." Carrie looked away from him, trying to think of a good reason. Her heart began to ache, she wanted to tell him how she felt, but the pride of being his music rival prevented her from doing so. Corey noticed her silence and scooted closer to her. "You know...why don't you just let all your feelings out?"

"Huh?" She turned to him, not expecting that. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it tiring to have a lid on your feelings?" Corey asked with a smile. "If you just let them out, you'll feel better. That's what Laney told me when she confessed about her and Larry...and her crush on me."

"Laney had a crush on you?" Carrie seemed shocked. Not long after Larry confessed to his friends, he admitted to having a crush on her. It startled and shocked her to the very ends of the planet. Corey nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, for the longest time actually. I still feel like an idiot about it even today."

"I know how you feel," Carrie said a small grin. She then sighed, facing away from Corey. "But still, even if I do release everything, how will I know that I'll feel better? After all, I'm still a kid."

"So? What's wrong with being a kid?"

"You don't get it."

"How?"

"You just don't. You don't have an experience when you fall in love with someone, yes you say these things. Larry and Laney can because they both know how it feels."

"Why do you think that way?"

Carrie looked at Corey. Something changed in his voice. He stared at her with a soft, yet serious expression. "Why do you assume that just because I'm still a kid I haven't fallen in love?"

Carrie blushed as she turned away. She gave him a snort before actually answering. "Because I can tell just by looking at you."

"But you're not looking at me now."

"Still! I just know!"

"That doesn't give me a reason."

"..."

"Carrie."

"Shut up."

"Carrie, come on. Tell me."

Carrie sighed. She turned to him halfway, and Corey could clearly see the red pigmentation om her face. "Because...if we were that oblivious to Larry and Laney having crushes on us, how can we be sure that we could already have fallen in love?"

"Because when the time comes, we'll just know."

"Not only that, but after spending some time with you, I began to realize that..." Carrie trailed off, feeling her face match the color of a tomato. Corey blinked, shuffling closer to his genderbent counterpart. "That...?"

"...That I like you..." Carrie dared not to look at him. She owed it to Laney that Corey was originally a touchy and friendly guy. Just because he shared contact with someone didn't necessarily mean that he liked that person in a romantic way, so Carrie wasn't taking any chances. However, that didn't mean she would stop. "...I said you were a kid because you're really friendly, and many people like that make contact with their friends often...And that usually sends false vibes to people who like you..."

"So you're scared that you'll end up like Laney?"

"In a way, I guess..." Carrie felt her eyes tear up. She held back a gasp as she quickly blinked them away. _'Why am I crying?! This isn't fair!'_ Corey stared at Carrie, slowly moving closer to her. He heard her sigh before continuing. "I've been a real jerk to you today, so-"

"Carrie?"

Without thinking, Carrie turned to look at him. But instead of being met by words, Corey pressed his lips against hers, sealing the gap between their faces. Carrie's eyes went as wide as saucers as her heart jumped out of her chest and a million thoughts buzzed through her mind. Her grip on her bear tightened until her knuckles turned white while her other hand was held down by Corey's.

After a few more seconds, Corey pulled away, his face only slightly reddened. "There." He smirked at her. "I may be a touchy guy, but I don't kiss girls who I want to be 'just friends' with."

Bright red in the face, shivering, and speechless, Carrie stared at him as she tried to soothe her pounding heart. "I...I..."

"Easy, Care." He pressed his finger against her lips, silencing her. Carrie blinked once. Then twice. She took in some air, relishing the fact that he turned away as she tried to pull herself together. The fireworks outside were beginning to really heat up, and Corey was staring in awe like a kid in a candy store.

"Oh man, this is so epic!"

The whistling and screeching of the explosives made their ears hurt, but it was a sugar rush for the eye. Multiple colors bounced and flared through the sky all at once, lighting up the area that could have been seen through space. Carrie didn't care though, all she could see was Corey.

_'His lips were so soft...'_

She blushed at the thought as her heart skipped yet another beat. Corey laughed as he slumped in his seat, leaning back. "Ah, this was awesome! Thanks for inviting me to this, Carrie!"

Carrie stared at him, admiring him in the falsely illuminated sky. _'I like everything about you...'_

"...Corey?"

"Hm?" Corey looked at her and Carrie looked at him. "Can we try 'it' again?" Corey blinked, confused on what 'it' was. "'It'?"

"You know...What Mayor Mellow wanted us to do earlier?" Carrie adverted her gaze as her face went red. Corey could then feel his face turn red. Now he knew. "O-oh, that...Only if you want to though..."

Carrie nodded, finally working up enough courage to look at him. She smiled and moved closer to him. "Yes...I want to try it again. You caught me off guard, so I want to see if..." She trailed off, unsure of how to finish her sentence. "If..."

_'Your lyrics tug at my heartstrings...'_

Corey gently grasped her chin between his fingers. "Don't worry...I understand." They slowly leaned in.

_'My beloved rival guitarist...'_

Their lips joined in one, and they both felt their own set of fireworks go off within their hearts._ 'His lips are so soft...Just like you...'_ Carrie cupped his face with her hand, releasing her bear and letting it fall to the floor. _'I never knew you could capture my heart like this, Beff...'_ Corey wrapped his free arm around her waist, putting his other one on top of hers.

_ '...Everything from your guitar to your lips are mine and mine alone.' _

* * *

**And that's that! Think of this as a early epilogue to No Strings Attached, but I really wanted to put up something like this show you guys how much I adore this pairing! ;D Either way, I hoped you enjoyed this!**


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